Two Things

Okay, I cave in! I've been working on a short story to submit to a contest. Keep your prayers high for me! I'm also submitting National Boards on Feb. 27th (welcome back to having friends) and thinking about applying to a 3-week poetry extravaganza at Harvard this summer (so cool).

Two names you go by:
1. Coley
2. Cola

Two things you are wearing right now
1. a scarf my Mom got for me this past summer in AL
2. keys around my neck (I'm still at school - it's the only place I have internet)

Two of your favorite things to do:
1. sleep in
2. eat

Two things you want very badly at the moment:
1. to be done with national boards so I can get on with my life
2. to be done with national boards

Two people who will fill this out: aka My Wish List:
1. man, I think it's maxed out? (I don't enough people). Wilda would be awesome.
2. Dwight from The Office

Two things you did last night:
1. Made Burton read my short story to edit it a second time.
2. ate some of his Mom's soup - AMAZING.

Two things you ate today:
1. a frosted chocolate Dunkin Donut
2. carrots

Last two people you talked to:
1. definitely two coworkers
2. on the phone, Burton

Two things you're doing tomorrow:
1. going to Axcess Encounter! (yay)
2. hmm, teaching

Longest trips taken
1. South Africa - flight time
2. length of time - my backpacking trip around Europe
--LOL Sandra at your Z.Z. Top Story - hilarious!

Your favorite holidays:
1. Christmas
2. My birthday

Two favorite beverages:
1. Cafe Verona by Starbucks (I lick the cup when I'm done).
2. Homemade smoothies

Back to editing!!! (short story and national boards)

no pics this time

Burton just said Brier Creek was like a "disney world for adults." haha

Anyway, I found a place! Moving Feb. 8-10 - moving party anyone? There'll definitely be many parties forthcoming!

PICTURES :)

Sarah is such a trooper - we shopped for hours for a duvet cover, but I ended up buying one online because America's dept. stores hate duvet covers.














Barbara and Jeff took me out for a night on
the town. I might move to Durham d-town!















Phillip eating a cookie at our last FCA meeting.


What fun times I've had!

Wedding Delay

Okay Everyone, Burton and I are taking our time. We've been way too stressed about trying to force this wedding along. We are very excited about the future, and I am so glad I get to slow down some :) - takes a lot of pressure off. I'm still getting my own place - yay! I can shop for furniture :).

Eddie also pointed out that I didn't make it clear that I met the daughter in the recent Die-Hard Movie. She was AMAZING. Refer to earlier posts ;).

Cheers, everyone! HAPPY NEW YEAR! I got a digital camera - look for pictures soon.

Getting Used to Mindlessness

I'm so glad I'm not traveling this Christmas. I'm home with my family, eating well (not too many sweets), exercising, about to take my daily nap, and watching lots of movies. I'm going to work on National Boards, but I'm giving myself a few days completely off - it's sooo great.

I love this time of year. The last five emails in my inbox say "thanks." So awesome. So fun blessing others over the holidays.

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

My Brush with Fame

Mary Elizabeth came today. Sweetest person ever. I have two signed posters for my classroom. I think we could be friends :). The best part was talking to her grandmother and realizing that she's dating younger, and her guy is starting out in writing film. Apparently, she's been dating him for a while. It was so good to hear all of that.

It was also really funny to see all the kids getting her to sign stuff and taking pictures with her. Even high school students can be amazed by something. . . .

I also starred in a little acting role of my own this week for the school news show. Our school has added 6 more trailers in a pod. We named it "Sunny Acres." I run madly out of the school pushing a cart with all kinds of crazy papers on it, almost knock some kids over, and run out towards pod heaven singing "Sunny Acres is the place to be; pod living is the life for me." Close up on my face, "I just can't wait to own my own pod." Probably the best acting I've ever done. We did it all in one take.

Speaking of owning my own pod: soon, I will own my own townhome/apt. something! I've decided that instead of being nomadic when my lease ends near the end of March that I'm going to move in and set up a home for Burton and I for after we're married. This is so exciting. I don't even know what it will completely end up looking like, but it's going to be fun!

Poetry

I just felt I should have more than one post (who knows if I'll have time next week?)

I'm thankful for speakers who come into my classroom this Christmas:
Mary Susan, Peace Corps Volunteer from El Salvador, visits Wednesday (she's already written letters to all my students!)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Daughter in the latest Die Hard movie and born in Rocky Mt., speaks Friday!

National Boards is making me smarter. I'm going to analyze a poem to death for the students and teach them AP stuff so they can analyze their own. This will also prepare me for the exam I have to take sometime in April. I think this poem has a lot to say:

"The Death of a Toad" Richard Wilbur
A toad the power mower caught,
Chewed and clipped of a leg, with a hobbling hop has got
To the garden verge and sanctuaried him
Under the cineraria leaves, in the shade
Of the ashen heartshaped leaves in a dim,
Low, and a final glade.

The rare original heartsblood goes,
Spends on the earthen hide, in the folds and wizenings, flows
In the gutters of the banked and staring eyes. He lies
As still as if he would return to stone,
And soundlessly attending, dies
Toward some deep monotone,

Toward misted and ebullient seas
And cooling shores, toward lost Amphibia's emperies.
Day dwindles, drowning, and at length is gone
In the wide and antique eyes, which still appear
To watch, across the castrate lawn,
The haggard daylight steer.